Autoline Daily

Ford will propose to its board of directors in July that it close down Mercury. Chrysler unveiled a new logo for the Dodge brand that drops the Ram’s head logo. Cadillac will get a crossover built on the same lambda architecture as the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia. All that and more plus, a look at Cadillac’s V-Day in China.

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It looks like General Motors isn’t going to receive any help from the German government to restructure Opel. Independent vehicle manufacturer Karmann could go out of business. GM is in trouble with the Hebrew University in Jerusalem for using the likeness of Albert Einstein in an ad for the GMC Terrain. All that and more, plus we take a ride around the streets of Los Angeles in a Spyker C8 Laviolette.

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Electric vehicle news from Magna, Mahindra and Nissan. Pininfarina, the Italian design house, controls about 30 percent of the Chinese design market. Formula-One racing is coming back to the U.S. in 2012 but probably not where you would expect. All that and more, plus we find out why the sedan and hatchback versions of the new Ford Fiesta are styled differently.

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A company called Transonic Combustion just added Bob Lutz to its board of directors, but who the heck is Transonic? Infiniti is getting ready to offer a lineup of high-performance aftermarket parts for its vehicles. Ford is moving to vertically integrate its electric vehicle operations with a $135 million investment. All that and more, plus an inside look at Ford’s new Taurus-based Police Interceptor.

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Susan Docherty, who was recently replaced as GM’s head of U.S. marketing, was just named the company’s Vice President of International Operational Sales, Marketing and Aftersales. Spyker, the sports-car company that just bought Saab, is not making any money. The Chinese government extends car incentives to help spur sales. All that and more, plus a look at a new program from Autoline called Open Line, that allows anyone to call in and weigh in with their opinion on anything going on in the world of cars.

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Opel is close to a deal with its unions in Germany and Belgium to reduce its workforce and cut labor costs. Several suspicious packages sent to different Toyota plants in the U.S. turn out to be harmless. Tesla will use the recently closed NUMMI plant to assemble its new Model S sedan. All that and more, plus a preview of this week’s Autoline Detroit with Tom Stallkamp, a former executive at Chrysler, and what he thinks about the sales recovery going on in the American market.

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An influential journalist in Japan with close ties to Toyota is calling for the resignation of CEO Akio Toyoda. Ford wants to create a plan for its suppliers to reduce their carbon footprints. Volkswagen may buy Italdesign. All that and more, plus a look at the Galpin Motors dealership and why they decided to sell Spyker exotic sports cars.

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Scientists in Germany are studying moth eyes to develop non-reflective windshields. Analysts predict that car sales will rebound in two years in the U.S. All that and more, plus a look at the Progressive X-Prize, a contest where participants build an affordable car that can be mass produced and get 100 miles to the gallon.

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General Motors is worried about the future because it’s losing money in Europe, sales in China are slowing down and it has to spend a lot of money in North America for tooling and equipment. Pricing for the Nissan Leaf is all over the map, literally. Porsche proves the legitimacy of flywheel hybrids at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in Germany. All that and more, plus an interview with Ernst Lieb, the President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA.

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General Motors announced its earnings for the first quarter and it posted a net income of almost a billion dollars. Daimler announced that it wants to stop trading shares on the New York Stock Exchange. Car sales in Europe dropped in April. All that and more, plus a look at the newest show from Autoline, called Open Line.